


12 Days of Checkmas

by FuturePSotUS



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 19:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9005839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuturePSotUS/pseuds/FuturePSotUS
Summary: Here are my 12 mostly fluffy (watch out for day 8, things heat up) holiday drabbles based on nsfwzimbits's lovely prompt list!





	1. Day 1: Decorating the Haus

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find all of these drabbles (and a few more) on my tumblr, pignewtons.tumblr.com. Feel free to drop me an ask if you have a drabble request of your own or just wanna chat!

“Higher please,” requested Bitty. 

“We’re gonna run out of roof soon, bro,” laughed Ransom even as he and Holster stretched up on their toes, straining to lift the string of lights. 

“We are not. I had Dex and Chowder calculate how much space we had and how many strings of lights we’d need to cover it all the way. We’ve even got an extra box in case something goes wrong.”

Near them, Jack and Shitty followed a paper pattern and wove lights through the railings of the porch. 

“I still don’t understand how you got them to write a computer program to do that so close to finals,” said Jack. 

Bitty tisked, “It’s never to early to start thinking about dibs, Captain.”

“Bro,” Shitty laughed, “You didn’t even do anything for dibs!”

“Exactly!” Bitty didn’t miss a beat, “So my room should have extra dibs done for it. Because it’s worth it." He turned back to the d-men, “Seriously? You’re both giants! How can you not reach higher?”

“Ok we’re both reaching! The lights are like eight feet off the ground!? That’s pretty high, Bits.”

“Just a little more, please?”

They did their best to reach higher.

“That’s perfect! Right there! Hold it steady. LARDO!”

Her head popped up from the reading room and she held a hammer up triumphantly, “My turn?”

“Go for it! Let’s bring your vision to life!”

To Ransom and Holster’s relief she made quick work of nailing the strands in place so they could drop their arms.

“Cookies?” asked Ransom hopefully, “You made some like oatmeal ones earlier, right?”

“Do it again with these five strands and I’ll go made you each up a plate,” negotiated Bitty.

“Bro…” Holster whined, “FIVE more strands? What if we just did one more?”

“Lardo has a vision and we’re just her humble servants,” said Bitty, “Do two strands and I’ll make cookie plates and pack you both up a Tupperware to take the library tonight.”

The d-men looked at one another and shared a silent conversation.

“Deal.”

“Excellent. Do your two strands and I’ll be back in a jiffy!”

As he hurried inside Jack looked up from the instructional pattern laid out on the floor.

“Bitty…? This thing says we only want two more strands on the front. Not five.”

Bitty did his best Kris Kringle impression and tapped the side of his nose while winking, “Bless your heart, Jack Zimmermann, if you can keep that piece of knowledge to yourself I bet a pie’ll show up in your bedroom at some point in the near future.”

Jack glanced over where Ransom and Holster stood struggling with their next strand of lights. A slow smile spread over his face, “Apple maple?”

"That definitely sounds like the sorta pie that just appears places, doesn’t it?”

Jack nodded, trying to keep his grin down so it wasn’t too suspicious. "Doesn’t it,” he repeated quietly as turned back to his own assignment. 

Shitty turned around, lights wrapped around both wrists and elbows and one end in his mouth, “Doesn’t what?” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry about. Come here, let me help. I wanna get this done before dinner.”


	2. Day 2: Ice skating (the leisurely kind, not the hockey kind!)

“Ok here’s the thing though Bits,” announced Lardo as they sat on a wooden bench next the pond, “I can’t skate.” 

“Pish and tosh,” Bitty finished lacing up his figure skates and knelt at her feet to help her out. His breath fogged the air between them as he continued, “You just haven’t had a proper teacher.”

“You and Holster have been watching too much Downton. You’re both talking funny,” Lardo prodded hoping to distract him. But it wasn’t to be, rather than taking the bait he just calmly knotted the laces of her left skate. 

“So the thing about skating is that the hardest thing to do, mentally at least, is just stand still on the ice. You think if you can get on the ice and just get comfy before you move it’ll be easier but that’s not how it works.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Nope. You worry so much about the skating that’s gonna happen and then you realize that standing still on the ice is actually a lot harder than skating and you over correct and next thing we both know you’re on your ass and you’ve taken down the guy next to you too. In this case, that’s me. And I’d really rather not end up on my ass today, ok?”

“Yeah…” Lardo bit her lip and tucked her hair behind one ear, “Shitty always had me stand to commune with the ice first.”

“Well of course he did. His heart’s in the right place, but he’s not gonna be able to teach you to skate. Trust me, Lards, communing with the ice is not the way to actually learn to ice skate.” He frowned, “Communing’s not the way to learn anything.”

She edged towards the ice but still didn’t step out onto it. 

“How do you learn then?”

“Just go for it. It’s like walking but without picking up your feet all the way at first and you use the middle of your foot to propel yourself forward. Watch, I’m gonna go in slow motion around in front of you, watch my feet.”

In exaggerated movements Bitty pushed forward and circled around the half of the pond closest to Lardo. He didn’t do any of his fancy footwork or try and showoff, but stuck to simple, broad strokes across the ice that demonstrated how to push for more speed and turn slightly to change directions. 

Coming back to Lardo he held out his hands. 

“Do you trust me?” he asked with wide eyes and a laugh. 

She laughed too, “Oh hell no, I am not skating with you if you’re going to quote Disney the whole time!” 

“Come on! Come on!” he wriggled his fingers, “I’ll hold your hand the entire time. We’ll go slow and everything.”

“Just step out?”

“Just step out and push from the middle.”

With a tentative push she joined him on the ice and true to his word, Bitty took hold of her hand, tightly linking their fingers. Lardo’s confidence failed after a few choppy steps but before she could complain or give up he swung out in front of her and took her other hand. 

“You’re doing really well. We can totally make it one lap. Just keep watching me, don’t look down, and once you get comfy start trying to do bigger pushes. You got this!”

“Do I?”

“One lap, you can totally do a lap. I’ll buy you Annie’s if you make it.”

Pressing her lips together and resolutely not letting her eyes wander from where they’d locked onto Bitty’s she kept going. Slowly, slowly the pair made their way around the pond, Bits steering and Lardo controlling their speed. As they reached their starting point Bitty raised an eyebrow and pulled his hands back, “Wanna try again on your own?”

“Damn it, Bits! You said one lap!”

“But you’re doing so well! One more by yourself!”

Even as she shook her head she pushed forward again. Without Bitty’s hands keeping her steady she wobbled much more, but knowing he was close enough to catch her if she fell, Lardo finished her second lap. 

Bitty swooped in close and held her hands up, “WINNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!”

The sudden action caused them both to lose their balance and for the first time that day Lardo fell. She made sure to take Bitty down with her though, shrieking with laughter as they half hit a snowbank and half hit ice. 

“What a way to end the day,” he said as they caught their breath.

“I am so ready for Annie’s.”

“Fair enough, me too.”

“Oh, and Eric?”

“Yeah?”

Lardo shoved a handful of snow in his face, “You owe me coffee and a muffin now.”


	3. Day 3: Baking Christmas treats

Shitty crouched down, sweat beading on his forehead and running uncomfortably down his spine into the waistband of his underwear, “Brah, remind me why we’re doing this again?”

“Because we’re idiots,” Jack opened his apartment’s balcony door, “Idiots in love.”

“Oh yeah.”

Shitty’s forehead hit the glass of the oven door with a thud. 

Around them Jack’s apartment was disgusting. Greasy cookie sheets lay on the sofa cushions, whisks dripped batter onto the dining room table and its chairs, and scattered across the kitchen counters lay the charred and burned remains of an unknown number of cookies. 

“Is it really this fucking hard?” asked Shitty without opening his eyes or looking up, “Bitty makes it look so easy. I mean! We’re not even trying to do a pie!”

“Maybe that’s where we went wrong?”

Jack joined Shitty on the floor but put his back to the oven and stretched his legs out. 

“I’ve made a pie with him before, maybe we should have stuck to a pie each? Maybe that would have been easier?”

“Bro, pie isn’t easy– shit. Are these burning? I can’t tell.”

Defeated, Jack glanced over, “I can’t tell either. Turn the light on.”

Instead Shitty shuffled backwards and simply opened the door. 

“Nope, still doughy looking.”

He let the door slam closed.

“Careful.”

“Too late.” 

Shitty slumped next to Jack and sighed, “I think we’ve been baking for like a fucking year now. At least.”

“We’re gonna do this Shits. We’re gonna bake these cookies and they’re– ok they’re not gonna be amazing but, they’re gonna be edible. We’re two grown men, cookies are not going to be the thing that breaks us.”

“Not amazing but edible, somebody cross-stitch me that on a pillow.”

“Are you sure you didn’t smoke before we started? That’d explain how you screwed up the first batch so much…”

Affronted, Shitty slapped one hand over his heart while the other darted out to tickle Jack’s side. The Canadian flinched before Shitty’d even made contact with his skin and without any more provocation they started to wrestle, though exhaustion and stress made it a feeble exhibition of strength. 

The timer’s shrill beep interrupted them and they fell apart, each panting heavily. Standing, Shitty put a hand on the oven door while Jack turned off noise. 

“So… not amazing. Just edible. That’s all we need?”

Jack nodded, solemn, “That’s all we need.”

“Think these are going to be edible?”

“How long until they get back from shopping?”

“Ummm fuck maybe about 20 minutes?”

“Then yes, I think these are going to be edible.”

Shitty smirked, “Good enough for me,” and held out a hand for Jack to hold. 

Fingers tightly laced the two worked together to open the oven and take out the trays. Slightly misshapen and a little too brown around a few edges, the cookies would never have passed Bitty’s muster. 

“Bro…” said Shitty.

“Bro,” agreed Jack.

Definitely not amazing, just edible.


	4. Day 4: Shopping for gifts

“Honey,” sighed Bitty as he curled into Jack’s side on the sofa, “I really think just going to the mall would be more efficient.”

“At what mall do you think we’ll be able to find something for all of our parents? It doesn’t exist.”

“I’m sure the outlets would work,” Bitty frowned at the scarf Jack had just clicked on, “It’d certainly be easier than attempting to scroll through the **entire** internet looking for gifts.”

“Bittle, we’ve been on two sites. It’s been less than an hour. Do you want a cup of tea or something?”

Bits sighed, “Yeah. I’ll get it though. You want one too?”

“Please. The mint one.”

“So,” called Bitty, “Who’re you lookin’ for first?”

“Your mom. I thought a nice hat and scarf and gloves since she won’t be used to the cold. And then something a little bit bigger to wrap and put under the tree.”

Bitty hummed.

“We never really did more than candy, maybe some Chapstick, in our stockings when I was a kid.”

“Really,” Jack loved learning new things about Eric, “I always had like movies or toys in mine. And candy too.”

“Of course you did,” Bitty leaned over Jack’s shoulder from behind the couch to hand him a steaming cup and pressed a kiss to his head as he straightened, “I think the hat and stuff would be a great stocking stuffer for Momma then. And you could do a Falcs hat and scarf for Coach so they’d sorta match.”

“Cool.”

Bitty curled back into Jack, steam from his own cup curling into the air between them.

“Get your dad some flower seeds.”

Jack looked at Bitty like he was crazy, “Why….?”

“He wants to start a garden-”

“-He wants to-”

“-He tweeted about it.”

“He tweeted about it.”

Bitty laughed at Jack’s deadpan repetition. On a whim he put his cup down and snuggled closer, licking the tendon running down Jack’s neck.

“He tweeted about it. Yes.”

Jack sighed, long suffering. But he also tilted his head to one side and let his laptop slide down to the tip of his knees. They’d picked out stocking stuffers for both of Bitty’s parents and apparently now his dad too. That was progress. Right?

Taking his boyfriend up on his excellent non-verbal queues Bitty slung one leg over both of Jack’s thighs and pulled his tshirt away to properly reach his collarbones. His teeth pulled smoothly along the hard ridge before Bits quickly nibbled a series of biting kisses along the same line in the opposite direction.

“What should we do in stockings for your mom?” whispered Bitty without pulling away. 

“Euh,” Jack stuttered. 

“Maybe,” one of Bitty’s hands slid up Jack’s shirt to play with his nipples, “We could go to the outlets in a few weeks and look around for everyone?”

Could they do that?

“Euh,” repeated Jack. 

“We could have a little wander and take the day to really appreciate the Christmas season when we go.”

That sounded reasonable.

“And if we wait a few weeks we can really think hard about what good gifts for everyone would be.”

That sounded very responsible.

“Do you think we could go to the outlets and shop for our parents in person, baby?”

How could they do anything else? Why would they do anything else? Jack didn’t even know why he wanted to shop online in first place when Eric had such a perfect plan already.

Fishing around with one hand, Jack pushed his laptop completely off his knees and onto the coffee table so he could hold Bitty to him and move them both to the bedroom. It was only October 1st, he had better things to do right now than think about their parents.


	5. Day 5: Decorating the Christmas tree

“Oh my Lord,” Bitty somehow managed to make each word sound like its own, very excited, sentence. “These are all your ornaments?!”

“Yeah,” Jack replied hesitantly. “Why don’t you like them?”

“Honey,” breathed Bitty, picking up a porcelain bell with hand-painted with snowflakes, “They’re gorgeous. God, I feel like such an adult cause these are all so beautiful. Do you have an order you put them on?”

“Nope,” Jack stood behind his boyfriend and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss into his cowlick. “We could lay them all out on the pool table and then just sort of put them on where we think they’d look good?”

Eric leaned into Jack’s chest and tilted his head back to look up at his face, “Sounds perfect. I can lay them out while you string the lights?”

“Okay,” Jack agreed easily. “Wanna make some hot coco and put on carols too?”

“Yes! Lord… we’re such adults.”

Jack shook his head and moved to the kitchen, “You keep saying that. Aren’t we always adults?” 

“We had cereal last night for dinner.”

“Your train was late,” frowned Jack, “We were tired.”

“Dry cereal. For dinner.”

“We were tired.”

“You said, and I’m quoting, ‘BITTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSS please don’t make me open the fridge toooooooooooo.’” 

“We were tired,” Jack repeated a third time. But he was smiling and already bending down to grab a pot to make coco. 

“Mmmhmmm,” Bitty took a moment to himself to appreciate Jack’s glorious butt before syncing his phone to the Bluetooth speakers in the living room and putting on his newest Christmas playlist. 

The music played softly as they made their drinks and got to work. With only a few exceptions to consult on the placement of some of the larger ornaments they worked in silence. Every few minutes Jack would find an excuse to press a kiss into Bitty’s hair and Bitty would return the favor by brushing close and letting his hands linger at Jack’s hips as he passed by to get another decoration or to hang something up. 

Tree finished they naturally gravitated towards one another. Bitty didn’t stand still in front of it for too long though before peeling himself out of Jack’s arms. 

“Bittle, I was enjoying that!”

“One second! One second! I’m gonna make it better!”

Bitty turned off the lights so only those on the tree shown. He closed the curtains behind the tree to hide glare off the windows and moved back to Jack, wrapping both arms around his waist and molding himself to his back. 

“Look at it,” he said softly. 

“Yep. We did good.”

“Take a picture with me?”

Jack turned in his arms and smiled softly, “Course.” He bent down just a little to press a soft kiss to Eric’s lips. 

With a bit of fiddling Bitty angled the phone to catch both of their faces and the tree over Jack’s shoulder. 

“Say cheese,” he ordered. 

Instead Jack pushed his nose into Bitty’s hair and took a deep breath, committing the happy warmth in his chest to memory. 

Bitty sighed looking at the photo, “Oh honey,” he wiggled closer to Jack, “I love you.”

“Love you too, Bits. I love you too.”


	6. Day 6: Lending a coat/scarf because the other is cold in the snow

“Shits,” Lardo huffed, “Where is your coat?”

“Coats are for the weak,” he unbuckled his seat belt and stretched before grabbing the door handle, “I was born in Boston, I was raised in Boston, I’m gonna die on Boston, I think I know how to handle– OH FUCKING SHIT. IT’S WICKED FUCKING COLD. GOD DAMN IT, BRAH–” he cut his own rant off by stepping out of the car and into the frigid weather. 

Properly dressed for a Canadian winter, Lardo moved around to the trunk and began rifling through their bags. 

“Shitty,” she called exasperated, “I put your coat in the trunk before we left, why isn’t it here now?!”

“Ummmmm,” Shitty, already shivering, molded himself to her back, “I might have taken it out as a final expression of my strength? Maybe?”

She sighed heavily.

“It’ll be fine, Jack’ll have something I can borrow.”

“Yeah but we’re not at Jack’s yet, are we?” she reached to the very back corner where they kept their emergency gear. “B— KNIGHT!”

Shitty backed up and looked for a place to hide in the white wilderness of the parking lot.

“DID YOU ALSO TAKE OUT YOUR EMERGENCY CLOTHING? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN DO THAT???”

“This isn’t my fault, babe! Holster and I were talking smack last time we saw each other and it sorta became a challenge and, babe, come on babe, you’re not really mad at me right? I mean I’m the only one suffering here! I thought it’d be less… Canadian. Fuck it really is colder than Boston right now.”

“Oh my god. You’re a fucking moron. You both are. Jesus.” She sighed again, “Back in the car I guess.”

“Babe! No way! You really wanted to go and see the lake. We’re gonna go!”

“We can’t, you’re not dressed right. A sweatshirt and jeans is not warm enough for this weather. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine. Babe…” Shitty frowned, feeling badly for having ruined Lardo’s plans for a walk around Mt. Saint Bruno park. He gently bumped her to one side to look in the bag of emergency clothing. He’d never fit into her coat, he thought has he held it aloft.

“Don’t you even try to put that on mister,” Lardo looked less angry and more fond as she watched him evaluate the bag. 

“Hey! Purple’s a good color on me!”

She laughed and pulled out a long, multi-colored stripped scarf.

“Even better.” 

He wrapped it around his neck three times and fished out a pair of gloves and a hat with ducklings all over it. 

“I can’t believe you took all of your winter clothes out of the car because of something Holster said,” Lardo shook her head. “You’re actually insane sometimes.”

“Yeah, but you love me.”

“Yeah, but I do. Loser.”

He bent down to kiss her. 

“Ok. Let’s fucking do this! Fuck yeah Canada!”


	7. Day 7: Making Snowmen/Snowball fight

Cookies safely in the oven and with ten minutes before he needed to switch out the pans with the next batch, Bitty fired up the Falconers YouTube channel, eager to watch their newest face-off video. 

Since Thanksgiving each of the videos had had some holiday theme, cookie decorating (Jack had been sadly bad at that and Bitty now had plans to fix it before next year), dreidel spinning (Jack had surprised everyone, Bitty included, by easily beating the entire team), and even a tree chopping competition (which none of the Falconers had done well at, the secondhand embarrassment was strong in that video). This week’s video, the last before Christmas, was a snowman building competition. 

No matter how Eric cajoled or tried to bribe him, Jack always refused to spoil the videos so Bits had no idea what to expect as first Thirdy and Snowy and then Marty and Jack went head to head in a gigantic pile of snow.

“We know you can draw a logo Zimmboni, but can you build a snowman?” taunted Marty on screen, “Because FYI as a dad it’s pretty much a requirement that I’m awesome at snowman building.”

“Chirp, chirp, chirp,” Jack looked loose and happy, completely unconcerned as he rubbed his hands together and assessed the snow situation. 

The pair continued to banter while a time clock appeared on the screen as well as a graphic outlining the three things they’d be judged on; stability, creativity, and character. 

“Ok. Thirty minutes. Ready?”

“To win?” Marty grinned, “Oh yeah I’m ready.”

Both Jack and Marty scrambled forward, fighting for the snow they needed to build their snowman’s base. They seemed well matched as they got to rolling and packing. Marty moved onto this second snowball before Jack but the forward caught up and lifted the head onto his snowman first. 

And at his parents' kitchen table in Georgia, Eric Richard Bittle had to restrain himself from expressing his pride for his boyfriend’s accomplishments so far too loudly lest he attract the attention of his family. 

Basic snowmen built, Marty took the time to smooth and round his creation while Jack moved straight into the decorating phase. 

“Hey, where’s the fire, rookie? You afraid of the sun or something?”

Back to Marty as he selected the appropriate scarf from their props table, Jack laughed, “Nah, I just made fewer mistakes than you while I was building so I don’t need to try and fix ‘em now.”

“Harsh!”

“Ten minutes left!” called a voice off screen.

They fell silent as they rushed to finish and the final ten minutes were condensed into one as the video showed a montage of Jack trying out four different pair of stick arms, Marty getting into his snowman’s face while sticking the button mouth on, and the men fighting over who claimed the Falcs snapback first. 

“And time!!!”

Their “judges” (Tater with Marty’s daughter in his arms) walked over and began critiquing the two snowmen. 

“This one’s so smooth! I think whoever made it really paid attention to the details.”

“Yes! Very big! Very tall! Probably very strong!”

“And I like its hat, I’ve never seen a snowman in a snapback.”

Marty grinned and stuck his tongue out at Jack. 

“Next!”

The pair walked in a circle around Jack’s next. 

“Hmmmmm,” mused Marty’s daughter. 

“I like him! He’s very safe. I think if I fall in his snowbank he’ll be taking good care of me!”

“He’s kinda boring though.”

“He’s tradition!!!”

“She didn’t look impressed with Tater’s reasoning, “Boring.”

“Well, I like him! Hold on please. Judges must be discussing now in secret!”

They huddled together and whispered for a moment, Tater vehemently disagreeing with whatever Marty’s daughter was saying. But eventually he gave in and with a somber look on his face announced, “My guy not winning, her guy wins. More creative. Sorry Zimmboni.”

The credits ran as with a triumphant yell Marty scooped his little girl up and twirled her around and Tater and Jack hugged it out. 

Moving away from his computer to check on the cookies Bitty sent a text,   
[SMS to <3 <3 Bae <3 <3] Good job with the snowman, honey. I agree with Tater, he looked very safe. 10/10 would cuddle.


	8. Day 8: Watching a classic Christmas movie with hot cocoa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter definitely veers into the NSFW territory. Consider yourselves warned.

Knowing Bitty’s train arrived the same his practice ended, Jack rushed through his shower, declined an offer to go to lunch, and took the resulting chirps from his teammates with an enigmatic smile and a small wave. 

“GET IT ZIMMERMANN!”

“Give your girl some love!!”

[SMS to Bittle] Home yet?

[SMS to JZ <3] Literally just walked in the door! 

[SMS to JZ <3] on your way?

[SMS to Bittle] Getting in the car now. See you in 15-20.

[SMS to JZ <3] Drive safely!

Smiling the whole way Jack stopped at their favorite Thai place to stockpile food. He had plans for the next 48 hours and for the most part they did not involve leaving bed. As he opened the door to his apartment though he seriously wondered for a moment if he had the wrong place. In the 20 minutes since he’d arrived Bitty had somehow managed to put his stuff down and fill the apartment with Christmas cheer. Hot cocoa sat warming in a saucepan while mulled wine bubbled in the crockpot, the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled merrily and several newly wrapped packages lay on its skirt. 

“Honey!” 

Jack dropped his gear bag to catch his boyfriend around the waist, kissing the top of Bitty’s head as they hugged. 

“Hey bud, missed you.”

“You’re just in time, ABC Family is playing Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch all in a row! It starts in a few minutes!”

Jack carefully set Bitty back down and moved to put the takeout on the counter, “Wow all three, eh? I should probably go put my comfy pants on then.”

Bitty snapped the waistband of his track pants, “What do you call these then?”

“Hey!” Jack pretended to be affronted, “These are my nice sweats! They’re the ones with the zippers down the calves.”

“I can’t imagine how I missed that,” Bitty rolled his eyes, “Get changed. I’ll dish us up food and finish the cocoa, kay?”

Jack leaned down for a kiss, “Kay.”

The Grinch was easily the best of the three animated classics and Jack was more than happy to watch it while eating snuggled up to his boyfriend on the sofa. But as they finished their food and the opening credits of Frosty started he found his attention wandering and with it his fingers. 

First they played with Bitty’s hair, combing through the newly buzzed sides and twisting the longer ones at the top. But pretty soon his hand wandered down, squeezing and kneading at the tendons in Bits’s neck and along his shoulders. Eric easily slid down Jack’s chest as the pressure increased, melting into his lap and rolling to one side as if to offer Jack access to more of his body. In theory, they were both still watching Frosty, neither made a move to mute the television or turn it off, but from the moment Jack’s hand slipped under Bitty’s shirt to toy with his nipple neither paid attention the jolly snowman or any of his little friends. 

His other hand slipped into the pocket of Bitty’s sweats with the sole purpose of teasing. Jack moved his index finger over the still only half hard line of Bitty’s cock. Starting from the base he slowly stroked upwards circling the tip with a little more pressure before letting his finger drag down the other side. At the same time he alternated rolling Bitty’s nipples between the fingers of his other hand, pinching them tightly after every few passes.

It didn’t take long for Eric to get restless pined against Jack’s chest. His own hands lay useless in front of him as he couldn't really reach any of his boyfriend from their current position. With a little effort though he managed to roll over without interrupting Jack and nuzzled his face into Jack’s crotch. 

“Jesus,” bit out Jack, surprised by the move. He hadn’t realized how hard he’d gotten just by touching Bitty. 

Bitty pulled away, “Scoot up for a second and take them off.”

“After, I wanna take care of your first,” Jack said.

“You can still take care of me, honey. Just do it while I suck you off, yeah?”

“Oh…” Jack huffed out a heavy breath, “Yeah,” and pushed his sweats over the swell of his ass, freeing his dick for Bitty’s mouth. 

Eagerly Bitty stroked the skin at in the crease of Jack’s hips down to where the waistband of his sweats stretched over his thighs. With a naughty smile he blew a few hot breaths over Jack’s dick before leaning in close enough to lap at the head. He stayed still with just the head of Jack’s cock in his mouth as he adjusted the feeling of Jack’s hand, now fully in his pants and stroking him gently. The way they were fit together so closely on the sofa meant that Bitty couldn’t fit too much more in his mouth, so after licking his palm he used a hand to cover the rest of Jack’s cock, stroking in tandem with his boyfriend while he kept up an even pressure with his lips. 

After weeks of hockey and school separating them both men had assumed they’d come quickly. But it turned out giving pleasure while also receiving it divided your attention, slowing down the eventual orgasm.

By the time Jack was gasping, _Honey almost’s_ into the air he’d thrown his head against the back of the sofa and his hips were trying their best to thrust up even with nearly all of Bitty’s weight resting against his thighs. 

Bitty too was a sweaty, writhing mess. His hips rocked up and down into Jack’s hand; bucking, desperate to do anything to help his orgasm come sooner. He moaned around Jack’s dick, feeling pleasure touch him everywhere but none of it quite enough to push him to the end. Jack’s hand tightening in his hair made him groan again. 

“Yes, yes, yes, Bits, _Eric yes_!”

Bitty stilled as Jack came, swallowing what he could but letting what he couldn’t spill out of his mouth and onto his face. As soon as he was able Jack roughly grabbed Bits by the shoulders and hauled him into his lap, changing his grip on Eric’s dick and sloppily kissing him. The new position and pressure hit Bitty exactly in the right places and it wasn’t three full strokes before he was coming all over Jack’s hand. 

They continued to hold onto each other and pant letting reality take its time to settle around them again. 

On the television Frosty had ended and Cornelius and the gang were just about to sing Silver and Gold. Bitty giggled at the sound and let his head drop into Jack’s neck. 

“I really loved this song when I was a kid,” he said.

“Yeah?” asked Jack with a fond grin. “Then you lie here and watch while I get us some wet wipes, ok?”

“You’re the best.”

Jack kissed Bitty deeply as he eased him off his thighs to lie across the sofa, “I know.”


	9. Day 9: Singing carols

Stringing holly through the banisters of Haus stairwell Shitty decided it was too quiet. Taking a deep breath he started signing,

_“Deck the Haus with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la!”_

“Lame bro!!!!” called Ransom from the living room. “You gotta change more words to make it funny! Like this– _‘Tis the season to fuck-a-Wellie, Fa la la la la la la la!”_

_“Don we now,” Bitty picked up the song, _“our gay apparel, Fa la la la la la la la!”__

_Shitty shook his head, “Bro! No way that line–”_

_But Bitty cut him off with a fond smile, “Are you gay? No? Then shut up and let me live.”_

_“I’ve got the next line!” Holster yelled, running into the hall, _“Troll the ancient Yahoo listserve, Fa la la la la la la la!”__

__“See the blazing blunt before us, Fa la la la la la la la!”_ _

_“Nice,” Lardo threw out a fist bump to Shitty._

__“Swipe the playlist and join the party, Fa la la la la la la la!”_ _

_“Not your best work, bro,” whispered Ransom._

_“I know, I know,” Holster shook his head sadly. He tried again, _“Follow me to yonder attic, Fa la la la la la la la!”__

_And Ransom picked up with the next line, thrusting his hips for good measure, _“Where I’ll show you my 8-inch treasure, Fa la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”__

_Before anyone could pick up the final verse Jack stepped up and shook his head, his overly serious voice belayed by a grin threatening to peek through, “Eight inches? Really, Rans? You know we all share the same locker room, right?”_

_Ransom lunged for him, catching Jack in a headlock and mussing his hair, “Come on! Why you gotta do that to a guy!”_

_Easily freeing himself, Jack grinned outright, “I don’t know, always been more of a Jingle Bells guy I guess?”_

_Perfectly tuned and on in sync Shitty and Lardo started singing, _“JINGLE BELLS, BATMAN SMELLS, ROBIN LAID AN EGG….”__


	10. Day 10: Wearing ugly Christmas jumpers

“Wow, Chowder, I thought we decided not to wear our ugly sweaters until the Kegster this weekend but you really found a great one!” chirped Dex walking up to his and Nursey’s table at Annie’s. 

“Hmm?” Chowder looked down, confused, “This is just my new holiday Sharks… oh my god! Dex!” he laughed, “Nice one.”

Dex grinned a little, “Thanks man, sometimes you just make it too easy. I can’t believe you really ordered that thing.”

“Really? You can’t?” laughed Nursey next to them, “Because he already owns like the entire Sharks NHL store so…”

“This one’s new! I love Christmas time, they always put up new merch online!”

Nursey shook his head, “Yeah but bro, how are we supposed to get you something for the holidays if you buy it all yourself first?”

Chowder punched Nursey’s arm, picking up his coffee from the table and standing to go to class, “Guess you’ll just have to figure out something less obvious? Later guys!”

Dex slide into Chow’s seat, smile lingering, “What are we getting him for Christmas?”

“Nothing. Cause he doesn’t celebrate Christmas. But for his holiday present I was thinking-”

“-oh my god!” interrupted Dex, rolling his eyes. He shoved at Nurse’s shoulder, “You knew what I meant.”

“Yeah but like, you gotta remember that-”

Dex grit his teeth, “I know. Can you just… fuck. Can you just lay off? For once? I’m trying over here.”

“Yeah, yeah ok. Since it’s the holidays and all. So, like I was saying-”

He got cut off again, “-Do I still do stuff like that a lot?”

“… stuff like what?”

“Say insensitive shit and stuff. I know I was bad like last year and all but I thought it was better now. I thought- I thought I was better.”

“Hey,” Nursey put a hand on Dex’s shoulder and squeezed, “You are. I was just giving you a hard time, ok?”

“Yeah, but like what if I offended someone because I’m just not thinking and I say something stupid? Like I know better, I should be better.”

Biting a lip Nursey looked around but the coffee shop was too crowded for him to scoot as close as he wanted without making Dex uncomfortable.

“Come on,” he said instead, “Let’s get out of here.”

They didn’t talk again until Derek let them both into his room. 

“Max is already gone for the semester, he finished his finals early and bounced,” he explained, shedding his bag, shoes, coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. Nursey fell into bed and opened his arms to Will.

“Come here please.”

Taking only the time to lose as many layers as his boyfriend, Will snuggled into Nursey. 

“I don’t wanna be that guy. That insensitive, stupid guy,” he explained, “The one who just doesn’t know any better.”

“You’re not babe,” Derek pressed a firm kiss to the top of Will’s head, “I didn’t mean to make you think that. I was just chirping you. Chowder loves Christmas more than either of us anyway, it makes sense to talk about buying him a Christmas gift even though technically he doesn’t celebrate it.”

“I just don’t-”

“Will. Babe, you’re not that guy,” Nursey tried to sound as firm as he could, “You aren’t. You weren’t really even that bad last year. I just gave you extra shit cause… well, cause I was an idiot. Yeah? But you’re not that guy. I promise.”

Dex thought about it for a few minutes, one hand stroking the weave of Nursey’s sweater. As he thought the silence turned from tense to comfortable and as he accepted what Derek had said he let some of the tension in his shoulders go.

“Ok. Yeah. If you promise.”

Nurse kissed the top of his head again and waited another beat before changing the subject. 

“Do you think one of us could win the ugliest sweater award?”

“I don’t know,” snorted Dex, “I got a peek of Holster’s. It actually lights up.”

“Fuck. No way. Ok, grab my computer this is going to require our combined googling skills. We gotta beat him. I bet we can find ugly hockey themed sweaters. Oh my god, we should match!”

Dex stretched to reach the laptop, “I’m not matching you, loser.”

“Come onnnnnnnn, babe,” whined Nursey, “I can see us now! Massive knit sweaters with hockey pucks and sticks and like tinsel sewn in. We’d fucking kill it.”

“Oh my god,” laughed Dex, “If you can find a hockey themed sweater with tinsel and there’s actually two of them? I’ll wear the second one.”

“Fuck yeah! I am on it!”


	11. Day 11: Mistletoe

Well he did it. He survived the first semester of college. Jack took a sip of his still cold beer and watched the party swirl around him. He had an early flight tomorrow so he could probably get away with ducking out in about an hour. By then people’d be drunk enough to not even notice anyway. He pressed himself closer to the wall to avoid a drunken couple stumbling as they tried to make out and walk at the same time. Hell, people were probably drunk enough he could leave now without anyone noticing. 

Before he could make a decision though Shitty stumbled over, a massive grin lighting up his face. 

“Brah!! You’re still here!!”

Jack smiled back, “Yeah. For a minute or two. Probably gonna head out soon though, early flight you know.”

“Jack. Jack. _Jaques_. I’m going to miss you this much!” Shitty waved his arms about expansively before looping them around Jack’s neck for a hug, “So fucking much, brah.”

“I’ll miss you too Shits. We can text and Skype though. You can meet my mom.”

“Brah! Really? Wicked sweet. You fucking killed it this semester. So did I. We’re best friends.”

Outwardly Jack snorted and asked, “How much have you had to drink already?” but inwardly he felt warmed by Shitty’s words. He tightened his arms a little before pulling away. 

“Only a cup! But it’s tub juice! I invented it today! Fucking wicked stuff.”

“Text me when you get back to your room safe then, ok?”

“I love you. You’re always looking out for me.”

“Text me?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll totally text you.”

“I’ll see you after break,” Jack mussed Shitty’s flow, “Try not to throw up too much tonight.”

As he took a few steps towards the front door Shitty caught his arm, his smile growing even bigger, “  
WAIT!”

Jack froze, “….”

“Mistletoe!”

He looked up quickly but by the time he started to look back at his best friend, Shitty had moved forward and was already bringing their lips together. The kiss was brief and pretty wet thanks to the tub juice. It made Jack blush. 

“Merry Christmas!!!!”

He wiped his lips and shook his head, “Merry Christmas.”

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ 

Looking around the Haus as guests streamed in Jack wondered at how fall semester had gone so quickly this year. He knew that a lot of guys on the team still saw him as some sort of hockey robot but he felt a lot different than he had last year; the Haus felt more like a home, the team felt more like family.

And speaking of family– “Shitty! Come here!”

“Bro! What’s up?” Shitty walked over with one arm around their new manager and two solo cups pinched between the fingers of his other hand, “You want some tube juice? We added extra spirits in honor of the holidays! Lardo’s fucking awesome at tasting it and telling me what’s missing!”

“No thanks. But before you get too deep in there I thought we should get this out of the way. ‘Cause I know you’ll corner me later and honestly… last year your mustache was gross.”

Shitty looked confused and also affronted, “I don’t know what you’re on about m’guy but I’ll have you know I keep my ‘stache in pristine condition!”

Jack pointed up at the spring of mistletoe taped to the ceiling. 

“OH! Bro! You remembered! Man, bring it in!” 

Juggling both cups and not letting Lardo go, Shitty crowded up to Jack for a kiss. This year it lasted long enough to catch the attention of several of their other teammates. Pulling away with a little red staining his cheeks Jack distinctly heard Holster say, “Didn’t know Zimmermann had it in him!”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry fucking Christmas!”

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ 

Junior year Jack manged to find Shitty before their holiday kegster. He’d guessed that after three years Shitty was going to get more handsy and had wanted to avoid the spectacle and ~~definite~~ potential Swallow article by mistletoe kissing before a load of strangers invaded the Haus.

On the plus side, he’d done that. On the negative side, after a full minute of making out with Shitty, Jack pulled away only to find Ransom, Holster, and Johnson had lined up for kisses of their own. 

To even his own surprised he just laughed and opened up an arm, “Knew you guys couldn’t stay away for long.”

Ransom stepped up and cupped his ass with a grin, “Dude, I think I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life.”

“Oh my god–” Jack’s voice swung up as Ransom straight up dipped him. 

“Holy shit,” he said after being set upright again. 

Ransom looked unbearably smug. 

“No way! No way! Not cool!” Shitty butt in, “No more kissing him under mistletoe!” Shitty pushed Jack so he stumbled a step away and out from under the hanging bough.

“Don’t steal my man,” he grumped. 

Shitty swung around to hug Jack and nuzzle under his chin. 

“’s our tradition.”

“Ok, Shits. Ok,” said Jack fondly. “Merry Christmas.”

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ 

Shitty was already crying as he met Jack in front of the Haus front door.

“This is going to be our last,” he sniffed.

But Jack only shook his head and ruffled Shitty’s hair, “What? You think I’m never going to see you around Christmas again? You think I’m that easy to get rid of?”

“No…” Shitty wiped his nose, “Still won’t be the same though. Think we could just keep coming back here for our Christmas kiss every year?”

“I think that’d get weird after a few years, Shits. No one would know us so we’d just be two dudes who come over, kiss, and leave.”

“Ok first,” Shitty punched Jack’s shoulder, “Everyone in the whole hockey world is going to know who you are forever. And second, that’d be cool. We’d be like living Haus ghosts.”

“DON’T JOKE ABOUT THE HAUS GHOSTS!” yelled Ransom from the living room. 

“Ok,” Jack rubbed Shitty’s arms briskly like he needed warming up, “Ready for this?”

“Still not open to tongue?”

Jack shook his head but smiled, “Still a no there, not sorry.”

“No worries, that’s why it’s important to check. Cause without-”

Jack cut off his rant by ducking down for the kiss. Shitty was his best friend, his brother, and had stood with him and helped him grow. He loved his man more than anything in his life except hockey and his parents. He was going to miss him, going to miss just hanging out with him in the Haus, going to miss his studying being interrupted by a high, naked Bostonian with a rant that needed an audience. 

He tried pulling away but Shitty just yanked him down by the back of his neck. “Not done,” he muttered before pressing their lips back together. 

Jack laughed into his mouth, effectively ending the kiss when he couldn’t rein it in quick enough. 

“Merry Christmas,” he laughed.

“Merry-fucking-Christmas.”


	12. Day 12: Waking up on Christmas morning

Jack rolled over and flung out an arm only to find the other half of the bed empty and the sheets cool. He groaned a little and drew his hand back to scrub it over his face. Waking up a little more he yawned and rolled over to look at the clock, 7:23. He let his eyes slide shut for a few more minutes before heaving himself up. 

“Bits?” he called softly, oh so softly as he shuffled into the kitchen. “Why are you out of bed?”

“Oh, honey,” Bitty paused from where he was kneading dough to turn and give Jack a kiss, “Go back to sleep, I’m just starting breakfast and stuff.”

Jack waited for him to turn to the counter again before he wrapped around his back. “But Bitty,” he whined, “I didn’t get any snuggles. And it’s Christmas. And I wanted them.”

Bitty shook with quiet laughter, “Oh no, you poor, darling handsome man. Are you gonna live?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“We can snuggle on the sofa pretty soon, ok?”

“Won’t be the same,” Jack mouthed at Bitty’s shoulder through his shirt. “But ok.” He hung on for another moment before sliding away, “Making coffee, how much?”

“A full pot please, I already started but Momma’ll want a lot once she’s up and I’m sure your parents won’t have any before they come over from the hotel.”

“Mmmkay,” Jack yawned again. 

“You sure you don’t wanna go back to bed?”

“Mmm sure,” coffee pot started Jack moved back to his boyfriend and leaned against the counter, head on a cabinet. Quietly he watched Eric roll out the dough before separating it, filling it with cinnamon and spices, and rolling each piece tightly. 

Honestly, he’d rather be in bed but this wasn’t a bad second choice. The apartment was still quiet, no noise came from the guest room where Richard and Suzanne slept; the curtains were half open and last night’s snow still sat undistributed outside; and already the smell of freshly brewed coffee began to fill his nose. 

“When are my parents coming?” he asked. 

“Around 8:30 or 9 probably. Coach’ll probably be up in the next 20 minutes or so and Momma won’t be too far behind him.”

“Are you done yet?”

“Almost, almost,” Bitty moved away from his pan to kiss Jack lightly, “I just have to cover this so it can rise.”

“And then we can snuggle?”

Bits giggled, “Yep! Then snuggles. Scoot over, I need the Reynolds.” 

Cinnamon rolls wrapped and proving, Jack gave Eric his best puppy eyes and started moving towards the living room. Bitty shook his head fondly as he gladly followed. 

Jack pulled the blanket from the sofa back out as he laid down, legs spread for Bitty to lie between. He flung it over both of them as soon as Bits settled and pressed a kiss to Bitty’s temple. 

“’S nice.”

Eric giggled, “Oh honey, I don’t think you’re even all the way awake yet.”

“Course ‘m not. No coffee yet.”

Laughing Bitty snuggled in. 

“Merry Christmas,” Jack sighed, letting his head get wedged between the sofa cushions. 

“Merry Christmas,” replied Bitty, joining their hands together, “I love you.”


End file.
